Changes

It is fair to say that Carthage was already beaten when the raw Carthaginian recruits and mercenaries met Scipio at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C. The two armies were essentially equal in numbers, but completely different in morale. the Carthaginian were made up of more mercenary contingents then actual recruits. Hannibal's tried veterans were now vastly depleted. In this final battle of the war, something that rarely occurs. In fact this might be the only incident it happened in an actual military battle. In the front line of the Carthaginians, stout Spanish and Berber mercenaries who were hard pressed by the Roman legions suddenly turned and attacked their on forces. The reason is still unknown to this day, but it was the cause of Hannibal's only defeat. Rome had won the second Punic War.

It is fair to say that Carthage was already beaten when the raw Carthaginian recruits and mercenaries met Scipio at the Battle of Zama in 202 B.C. The two armies were essentially equal in numbers, but completely different in morale. the Carthaginian were made up of more mercenary contingents then actual recruits. Hannibal's tried veterans were now vastly depleted. In this final battle of the war, something that rarely occurs. In fact this might be the only incident it happened in an actual military battle. In the front line of the Carthaginians, stout Spanish and Berber mercenaries who were hard pressed by the Roman legions suddenly turned and attacked their on forces. The reason is still unknown to this day, but it was the cause of Hannibal's only defeat. Rome had won the second Punic War.

    

    

Hannibal took his entire army through [[Spain]] and then, in a preemptive move, crossed the Italian [[Alps]] in merely 15 days to the great surprise of the Romans. Hannibal's crossing of the Alps with 30,000 men and some elephants is considered one of the greatest military feats of the ancient world. He then beat the Romans in a series of battles for 16 years, inflicting horrible losses, but the Romans wouldn't break and their allies remained loyal.  In the end Hannibal could not conquer Rome itself since he had no seige train.  The Romans couldn't repel Hannibal, but they didn't have to.  Hannibal had to retreat to Africa when the Roman general Scipio, who was later called "Africanus" because of his valor in Africa, was set to attack Carthage.  Eventually with an army of mostly green recruits, Hannibal was defeated at the [[Battle of Zama]].  Carthage sued for peace.  Rome acquired Spain as a result of the Second Punic War.

Hannibal took his entire army through [[Spain]] and then, in a preemptive move, crossed the Italian [[Alps]] in merely 15 days to the great surprise of the Romans. Hannibal's crossing of the Alps with 30,000 men and some elephants is considered one of the greatest military feats of the ancient world. He then beat the Romans in a series of battles for 16 years, inflicting horrible losses, but the Romans wouldn't break and their allies remained loyal.  In the end Hannibal could not conquer Rome itself since he had no siege train.  The Romans couldn't repel Hannibal, but they didn't have to.  Hannibal had to retreat to Africa when the Roman general Scipio, who was later called "Africanus" because of his valor in Africa, was set to attack Carthage.  Eventually with an army of mostly green recruits, Hannibal was defeated at the [[Battle of Zama]].  Carthage sued for peace.  Rome acquired Spain as a result of the Second Punic War.

[[Category:Wars]]

[[Category:Wars]]